Patients suffering from anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis show impaired NMDA-receptor dependent neuronal transmission. Furthermore, they often have cognitive deficits of different magnitude. Impaired neuronal signaling of NMDA-receptors very likely result in decreased cortical synaptic plasticity. Thus, this represents one major reason of cognitive deficits. Synaptic plasticity can be assessed in humans via the non-invasive technique of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS).

The current study aims to investigate whether learning ability and also cortical plasticity can be changed by applying sessions of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). Therefore, we are recruiting 10 to 15 patients suffering from anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis as well as healthy controls in order to compare tDCS effects. Learning ability is assessed by motor sequence tasks, whereas cortical plasticity is measured via TMS.

tDCS is a novel non-invasive technique allowing induction of changes in cerebral excitability level and also cortical plasticity. Previous studies showed positive outcome of anodal stimulation on learning tasks. Especially motor learning seems to be an important target for tDCS treatment since it showed best results for both post-stroke patients and healthy subjects. Multiple sessions of tDCS are inducing long-term effects and improved learning function, which were present three months after stimulation.

In this study we hope to reveals new insights into the pathomechanisms of impaired cognitive and learning abilities in patients having anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis. Moreover, we evaluate whether tDCS is an effective treatment for patients with cognitive and learning deficits.

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Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01865578